Submit probe report by Mar 3: court directs PBI

A Dhaka court yesterday again directed Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to submit by March 3 the probe report of a case filed against former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sayeed Khokon and six others on charges of embezzling Tk 34.89 crore.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ashek Imam passed the order after PBI failed to submit any probe report.

Moreover, PBI did not submit any application as to why they failed to do so, Atiqur Rahman, bench assistant of the court, told The Daily Star.

Delwar Hossain, president of Traders-Owners Association of Fulbaria City Supermarket-2 in the capital's Gulistan, filed the case with the same court on December 29 last year.

The magistrate took the case into cognisance and recorded statement of the complainant that day.

Yusuf Ali Sardar, former chief revenue officer of the city corporation; Md Mazed, its former deputy assistant engineer; and their assistants Kamrul Hasan, Helena Akter, Atiqur Rahman Swapan and Md Walid were also made accused in the case.

According to the case document, Khokon and six others colluded to build and allot shops, violating the main design of Fulbaria City Supermarket-2.

Contacted, Sayeed Khokon told The Daily Star, "I will not comment on the case now, as it is under investigation. I will present my statement before the court after investigation."

Some 2,300 shops were constructed at the Fulbaria Supermarket-2 following the main design. But 911 others were built illegally at different times.

DSCC on December 8 last year started a drive to demolish all 911 illegal shops.